The culmination of the fifth intenational Sons of the Desert convention in Valley Forge (actually King of Prussia), Pennsylvania came on the evening of Tuesday, July 29, 1986. This final banquet was quite a memorable one as it involved not only a recreation of Toyland from the 1934 Laurel and Hardy film Babes in Toyland, but featured celebrities from the original film itself!
For the first – and last – time at any Sons event I, along with my family, chose to actually go in costume to one of the constume banquets. If there was one to do it at, it was certainly this one. Nearly all of the convention-goers came as one of the characters from Toyland. My new friend Bob, for instance, came as Santa Claus.
My family decided to go simply as townpeople of Toyland. We had purchased ‘antique’ clothing at a used clearance store in Kettering weeks before the trip. Although I looked absolutely ridiculous in these duds, I felt it my obligation and duty to participate in the family effort.
Different folks snapped our photo with varying degrees of success. The one at the top of the posting is probably the best. This one was amusing because Denise was holding her ears and Mom was telling her not to
This one is good too because Denise and I have scowls worse than the Bogeymen on our faces
But I think Denise’ pose in this blurry example makes this one the funniest of all
This banquet also saw the significant gesture from my new friend Bob, who actually opted to sit with me and my family at the dinner rather than his usual band of fellow Way Out West tent members. He even bought me a Coke at the bar.
There were some behind-the-scenes fiascos in getting the fabricated town of Toyland set up, including the giant shoe collapsing as it was being toted down the Pennsylvania highway – but I didn’t hear about these until much later, so I won’t go into them here. The one fiasco that I did hear about soon after – but which I didn’t experience – was that some of those who ordered fish for dinner that night became violently ill by then next morning. I was oblivious to all of this and have no idea what I actually ordered. And one other funny moment came when fellow Son Hal Stanton introduced each club member as we entered the ballroom. Being nearly blind and reading our names from notecards, he introduced my sister and me as Bush and Dennis F*rrell.
Santa Claus (as portrayed by Mr. Satterfield) and me
Mom and Denise at the well
Our Gang member Dorothy deBorba as Rock-a-Bye Baby
Denise with a Stannie Dum look-alike
Denise with Bill Furman, dressed as Ollie Dee
Dee and Dum
Mom poses with Mr. Santy
Denise would prefer not to
Our fellow Towed in a Hole Tent member Dee Ahlm, dressed as Mother Goose, with Virginia Karns Patterson, who played Mother Goose in the film
Denise up on the stage, stuck in the stockade
The feature presentation of the evening was to re-create selected scenes from Babes in Toyland utilizing look-alikes for Stan and Ollie and other characters, but having Henry Brandon reprise his original role as the evil Silas Barnaby in full regalia! Instead of speaking the lines, they were all lip-synched to the original soundtrack. How cool is that?!
And to add an even more amazing touch to the evening, Felix Knight, who had played the role of Tom-Tom Piper in the film, got up and sang a few selected songs from the film. During his performance of Toyland, Toyland, Virginia Karns Patterson, who had played Mother Goose in the film got up and joined him. No matter whether you’re a fan of Laurel and Hardy or not, I think you can understand how these were amazing and magical moments in time…and times that can never be recaptured.
Felix Knight croons tunes from the film, in front of the Toyland set
Overview of the Toyland set during the lip-synch playlet
Henry Brandon address an audience in rapt attention
Barnaby again…after more than fifty years
The next morning on Wednesday, July 30, the convention came to a sad end. It had been four years since my last convention and although I had never lost interest in the Sons or Laurel and Hardy, this certainly represented a new love and commitment to the club. I circled the grand ballroom during our final brunch, saying goodbye to all of my new friends, snapping candid pictures of a few notables (including the two hot girls from Detroit, who I took just so I could prove that the Sons members weren’t all old or geeky). I grabbed some final autographs from Rosina Lawrence and Felix Knight, posed for pictures with my new bigwig pals Bob (seen here) and Dwain, and lamented the ending of a fabulous week.
Rosina Lawrence chats with Michael Agee
Tent members Steve and Sharon Stayonovich (and son Nick). I first met them in Hollywood ’80 and only saw them at conventions. Not sure why I didn’t just ask them to pose for me
I knew Steve Wichrowski was a character way back in 1986. 22 years later, I would interview him after he caught on fire
Lois Laurel Hawes chats with Michael Agee. That guy gets around.
Denise and I gather some last-minute autographs from Rosina Lawrence and Felix Knight
Denise and Rosina
Apparently shooting daggers at Carl Ahlm
Me and Dwain. See us 22 years later here
The next convention hosts were announced as the Minneapolis Block-Heads tent in 1988. This would be a spectacular convention as well, but honestly I don’t think that any other convention has ever held quite so good memories for me as this one in Valley Forge.
Roger Gordon ‘passes the pineapple’ to Tracy Tolzmann, who would host the 1988 convention in Minneapolis
Souvenir program signed by three of the celebrities in attendance. For the record, Penny Singleton unfortunately never made it to the convention
1986 will continue…
I don’t know why you’re telling everyone this “clearance store” rubbish. That is precisely what you wear at home every evening, except for the additions of a fez, smoking jacket, and pipe.
Chris
March 1st, 2009
My cherished memory of this banquet had virtually nothing to do with Laurel and Hardy. Earlier that year, Tony Hawes had introduced me to the music of Harry Nilsson via some rare BBC television specials from the 1970’s. In one of them, Harry does a Stan Laurel impression, and Tony just wanted to show me that, but I fell in love with Harry’s music instantly as a pop artist in the mold of The Beatles and Brian Wilson. At the banquet, Tony found me as soon as I entered with some exciting news… Harry Nilsson was THERE, AT THE BANQUET!! He had been in New York, heard about the convention on the radion and drove out to attend the Babes in Toyland banquet!! Tony brought me over and introduced me. Unfortunately, I was wearing a wig and white tights so in my only photos with Nilsson, I look like a cross-dresser. He was very friendly, thrilled to meet Stan Laurel’s daughter, a huge Laurel and Hardy fan. I have an autograph from him that reads, “To Rick, With Love And Heart, Nilsson” and I treasure it. I said to him, “I put you right up there with The Beatles!” and he replied, “I put The Beatles right up there with The Beatles.” I hope he didn’t have the fish…
Rick Greene
Rick Greene
March 1st, 2009